Sometimes, Deadlox wondered if it was all worth it. Keeping Sky. He didn't know sometimes, he questioned his motives for even keeping the human alive. He couldn't understand why he was keeping Sky alive, why he was going through all this confusion and all these feelings he hadn't known of for this petty human.
Then, he would think about Sky's golden hazel eyes, always hidden behind dark shades or how beautifully tanned his skin was or how warm he was or how he kept Deadlox feeling sane. He's think about how Sky felt so natural to hold or how the smile on the human's face made his heart beat quicken or how even the slightest of touches made Deadlox's face heat up with a warmth he hadn't known for all his years of living.
He'd think about how Sky fit so perfectly against his own frame when they slept at night or how Sky absentmindedly stroked his wings when he was falling asleep or how he'd lean into Deadlox's touch. And when he thought of all this and plenty more, he'd feel weightless for a moment, so happy.
So maybe that was why Deadlox kept Sky around, because the human was the only being who actually made him feel sane, sane and unbelievably happy.
It was night, a peaceful night, something a bit unusual for the Nether but welcome all the same. The pigmen were quiet, the ghasts were off somewhere else and the demons were off doing who knows what. All the same, it was a rare night in the Nether.
Deadlox slipped into his bed -their bed- not really his anymore considering Sky slept in it every night. Sky was already tucked in, sleepily watching as the demon got comfortable under the sheets. Moonlight was the only light in the otherwise dark room, their breathing the only noise heard.
Deadlox turned onto his side, reaching an arm out to wrap an arm around Sky. It was an action he had done every night since the first night Sky had arrived and as always, the human curled up into the king's chest, face hidden in the crook of Deadlox's neck. As always, one of the demon's wings spread out over Sky's smaller frame, protectively curling over the smaller human.
It was silent and Deadlox allowed his mind to wander off.
At first, Sky's purpose had been a slave, probably a sex toy if it came down to it. That was all he was ever supposed to be, nothing more, nothing less. As time developed, Deadlox couldn't really see him as such, neither could any of the servants in his palace.
Sky himself was treated with as much respect, if not more, than Deadlox was by his servants. He may as well have been the king himself as far as anyone was concerned. He was treated as no slave, if anything, he was treated as if he were Deadlox's mate, a thought that greatly pleased the demon king. Though, he couldn't understand why. Why did that thought give him so much pride and joy?
It confused Deadlox, it really did. For he no longer wished Sky to be his slave, but he wanted Sky as his... (His what? His friend? His equal? ) What exactly did he want? Deadlox didn't know what he wanted, he didn't know if he deserved it. (Deserved what though?) Did he really deserve what he was so in denial about? Did he, a man -a demon- deserve something as pure and beautiful as Sky?
Was that it? Was that what he wanted? What he had wanted all along? Was it Sky? But... He had Sky, didn't he? What exactly did he want from Sky?! Did he want him as a mate? That was absurd, impossible.
Sky didn't see him in such a way, he didn't see Deadlox in the way... In the way Deadlox saw Sky. And Deadlox was going to have to accept that, that he couldn't have whatever he wanted -needed- he needed Sky more than anything if he was being honest with himself. But he wasn't being honest with himself, he never was, and e never planned to be. Know why? Because above all the things he had found that he wanted -needed- the most important... The most important thing Deadlox wanted was Sky's happiness.
Of course, this thought brought along the memory of the day before. He wanted Sky to be happy, yes. But, what if for Sky to be happy, he needed to be in the Overworld. Would Deadlox be able to let Sky go? To let him leave freely? Just like that?
Yes. Because Deadlox... Deadlox loved him that much. There. It was out there. At least in his thoughts, he admitted it. Ever since first laying eyes on him, Deadlox had been falling. Falling into a deep dark abyss, with no light in sight, drowning, drowning and falling, falling and he couldn't stop it if he wanted to.
He was snapped out of his hopeless thoughts by a shy arm being thrown around his torso. Eyes snapping open in surprise, Deadlox stared down at Sky, who was currently hiding his face in the demon's chest. Sky didn't even glance up as his palm opened against Deadlox's back, resting just below the king's wings.
Deadlox didn't protest at the touch, only looking down at Sky's tussled hair with a curious look to his dark red eyes. Sky's hand gently ran along Deadlox's back. The stiffness there slowly disappearing as Deadlox relaxed at the feel of Sky's tender touch. It was featherlight, soft fingertips tracing every marking, every scar and blemish on Deadlox's back, it was soothing, eyes lidded as he gave his trust completely to Sky, something he'd never seen himself doing, trusting a person so much it hurt.
He almost fell asleep, he was so relaxed, jolting awake when he felt Sky's hand touching the smooth and unscarred skin around the places where Deadlox's wings jutted out. The demon breathing in carefully, eyes focused on nothing as he tensed, wing tightening around Sky.
"There's no scars here..." Sky whispered out in awe, face still nuzzled into Deadlox's chest, the hand not clutched to his own chest curiously brushing the soft skin surrounding where Deadlox's wings started. "Why is that?"
Deadlox didn't know if he wanted to answer, he wasn't being forced to, why should he? Why should he ruin this precious thing he had started with Sky, no matter that it would never go further than this -whywouldSkyeverwanttobewithstupidbrokenDeadloxany ways?-. Why should he ruin it by telling Sky how important his wings really were? How much it meant that Deadlox always wrapped one wing around Sky when they slept, that Deadlox allowed Sky to touch how wings?
But he could never say no to Sky, Sky was Sky as Sky was special. As such, Deadlox sighed, tightening his grip around Sky as he hefted him up high enough to bury his face in the crook of Sky's neck.
"Not even my kidnappers would dare touch my wings, or anywhere near them," Deadlox muttered quietly, eyes clenched shut.
"Why?" Sky mumbled out, not understanding, not knowing the customs of demons.
"Wings are special..." Deadlox continued, flicking the tip of the wing around Sky to emphasize. He ignored how the human froze slightly, his hand touching the base of one of Deadlox's wings. "No one ever touches another demon's wings, not unless..." Deadlox trailed off, fighting back a broken whimper as he pulled Sky closer to him, taking comfort in the smaller form.
"Unless what?" Sky asked, almost afraid to learn the answer, frozen with his fingertips just touching Deadlox's wing.
"Unless they're mates, even parents try not to touch their children's wings. It just isn't done," Deadlox finished, steeling himself as his usual demeaned slowly returned, the scared puppy he had been acting like gone. His eyes opened slowly, more himself though he was still panicking on the inside.
"M-mates?" Sky squeaked out, immediately retracting his roaming hand back to his chest. "O-oh, I'm sorry for touching you w-wing, didn't know..." Sky tried to apologize, momentarily forgetting the wing still holding tight around his frame. He almost panicked when he realized just what the familiar weight around him was, trying to struggle away with a light blush dusting his alarmed features.
Deadlox tried not to laugh, really tried, though he did anyways, because Sky was so fucking innocent and naive and how dare Deadlox even try to touch him with his filthy and tainted hands. He let Sky go, moving off of the bed as he continued laughing, the low chuckle turning into a dark laugh, the sound echoing around the room. Sky curled against the headboard, not sure what was going on, though he was worried for Deadlox, even if the demon was starting to scare him.
"D-Deadlox?" Sky managed out, flinching when Deadlox turned towards him. He immediately regretted the action when Deadlox stopped laughing immediately, eyes guilty and somewhat darker than Sky had grown used to.
"Yeah?" Deadlox mumbled back, eyes on his hands, avoiding Sky's eyes as he bit his lip. He paused only when he remembered how Sky didn't like when he hurt himself.
"A-About the wings, did that- did that mean something?" Sky asked tentatively, worried and slightly hurt when Deadlox winced as if physically struck by Sky's words.
Deadlox breathed in deeply, turning away from Sky as he stood. He didn't say anything as he marched to the balcony, wings unfurling as he jumped off not a second later, leaving Sky to his own matters. Sky probably didn't to see Deadlox's crazed eyes or bleeding lip. He probably didn't want to hear how Deadlox wanted Sky touching his wings to mean something, probably didn't want to hear Deadlox's pathetic plead to stay with him, to love him.
It was pointless staying when Deadlox was so close to having a breakdown. So, he ran, flew, away from his problems. It's all he bed seemed to have done throughout his life anyways, avoiding problems.
Sky tried to calm his rapid beating heart. He tried to ignore the hope that had grown in his chest at the possibility, the slight chance that Deadlox might actually think of him the way Sky thought of him. He tried to ignore how his eyes burned at Deadlox leaving, probably not wanting to see the pathetic hope in Sky's eyes. How could he have even thought that Deadlox would want someone like Sky? He was human for Notch's sake, a measly human. What would a demon king want with someone like Sky? Sky, whose father had left him and his mother at an early age, leaving him a golden sword and stupid chain and amulet in return, only to be found dead days later. Sky, whose own mother had decided he wasn't even worth trying to keep. Sky, who had fallen head over heels for a demon who he didn't even deserve.
What a fucked up life he had.
So caught up in his thoughts, tears streaming steadily down his face, he didn't notice a shadow making its way towards him from the open balcony. He didn't notice the glint of the moonlight against claws or the quiet steps of something used to being quiet.
Not until it was too late, not until a heavy hand threw him off the bed, eliciting a cry of pain. Not until his golden hazel eyes briefly met black eyes as his hair was painfully gripped as his head was lifted off the hard floor. Not until he caught sight of an apologetic frown before the back of his head was slammed into the ground.
Darkness surrounded him immediately and all he could think about was if Deadlox was okay. Sky may not have cared what would happen to him, but he wouldn't live with himself if Deadlox managed to get hurt. Deadlox had had enough pain to last a million life times and he didn't need to get hurt because of Sky's stupidity at not noticing a threat. Too busy choking down tears of rejection, just how stupid was he?
Deadlox would never want him as anything more than a slave and he would have to accept that. If he lived long enough to accept it, for all he knew he could already be dead.
He regretted flying off the minute his feet had left the edge of the balcony banister. Probably even before that. But he couldn't handle looking at Sky and seeing the disgust that would surely be there. He wouldn't be able to hold it all in. He'd break.
Deadlox wouldn't blame Sky though. Sky was perfect. Fucking beautiful he was. Bronzed skin with light freckles, hazel eyes so light they were golden, lean body, unmarked skin and a personality and smile that would leave any demon head over heels for the kid.
Compare that to Deadlox, there was no way the demon had a snowflake's chance in the Nether. Ugly Deadlox, that's what he was. Over six feet tall, extremely pale skin and disgusting dark red eyes and slit pupils. He had stupid claws and stupid fangs and he was abnormally strong no matter how slim he was and what would Sky ever see in a damaged thing like Deadlox? A demon with more scars, both physically and mentally, than on most people. A demon whose sanity wasn't in check and one who had breakdowns on a normal basis. What would someone like him have to offer to someone like Sky?
Nothing, that's what.
After an hour of flying around, lost in his degrading thoughts, Deadlox returned to his bedroom, ready to apologize to Sky and ready to bring him to the Overworld. Sky missed the Overworld, he deserved being around his own kind, and no matter how much it hurt, Deadlox would let Sky go.
He hasn't expected seeing a small pool of blood on his floor and Sky no where to be seen, not even the smallest trace of a scent leaving an indication as to where Sky could be. The only scent was small, barely there and hidden well. The scent of a Nether Bacca.